Stock photos - please help me!

Discussion in 'HTML & Website Design' started by Burningbarricade, Aug 4, 2009.

  1. #1
    Hey there chaps & chap-esses

    I'm 'designing' a website for a curtain selling company who unfortunately haven't got any good product shots so I was looking for a nice photo of a room which particularly highlights the curtains. But I'm buggered if I can find a decent one.

    I've tried fotolia, canstockphoto, stock.xchange and istockphoto but can't find 1 single suitable photo. When you type in curtain they have 1000s of photos but mostly photos of rooms that might contain a curtain but it is hardly the centerpiece of the pic (it's not even that you could crop it out, there just isn't a decent one).

    Is there anywhere anyone could suggest, or even someone who does requests that could get me a couple of decent photos of curtains?

    Help!!

    Thanks
     
    Burningbarricade, Aug 4, 2009 IP
  2. Kerosene

    Kerosene Alpha & Omega™ Staff

    Messages:
    11,366
    Likes Received:
    575
    Best Answers:
    4
    Trophy Points:
    385
    #2
    There's 62 pages of results for "curtains" at iStockphoto... none of them are usable?

    I think if somebody is looking for curtains, they'll have curtains on their mind - so they'll automatically focus on the curtains in the photos. Curtains, curtains, curtains! I've never written that word so many times!

    [​IMG]

    [​IMG]

    [​IMG]
     
    Kerosene, Aug 4, 2009 IP
  3. Burningbarricade

    Burningbarricade Peon

    Messages:
    124
    Likes Received:
    1
    Best Answers:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    0
    #3
    Yup seen them all. But there are no really nice ones that actually show at least one entire curtain. I'm probably being very picky but I think even tho people will focus on the curtains it'd be nice to have a pic where the curtain is the prime focus.

    Perhaps a better question to ask is whether anyone can suggest their favourite place for getting photos like I'm looking for. Are the places I've been to the popular ones? I only found them using search, don't know what the really big places are

    thanks
     
    Burningbarricade, Aug 4, 2009 IP
  4. Kerosene

    Kerosene Alpha & Omega™ Staff

    Messages:
    11,366
    Likes Received:
    575
    Best Answers:
    4
    Trophy Points:
    385
    #4
    Have you considered stalking/contacting local photography students?
    Offer them a credit on a local company's website, and they may do the work for free/cost.

    Comstock and Jupiter Images are both good. But they're expensive - and probably won't have much more than iStockphoto.

    Personally, I think you're being too picky. If the client has shitty product shots, then it's their problem - not yours. It's also a good indication of how much they actually care about their image. Don't invest too much time in finding the perfect stock photo, the client probably won't even notice.
     
    Kerosene, Aug 4, 2009 IP
  5. 1 FineLine

    1 FineLine Peon

    Messages:
    78
    Likes Received:
    2
    Best Answers:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    0
    #5
    +1000 good info.

    It's not your problem the company has not provided you the image content for their website. You may suggest to them that to improve their standing with their customers and to really showcase their merchandise they should take additional pictures of their products.

    I ran into a similar situation for a local restaurant I did a site for. Their dessert menu was drab and boring in a standard 1 fold layout with no pictures. I presented an idea of a 3D model that was always visible to the customers. I then had them create each dessert where I setup a station and took pics myself. They were floored with the end result.

    Who knows this may be an option for you to obtain additional money with the project. Hire the kids for dirt cheap and charge the company. :)
     
    1 FineLine, Aug 4, 2009 IP
  6. falguni1

    falguni1 Peon

    Messages:
    3,016
    Likes Received:
    66
    Best Answers:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    0
    #6
    surf dreamstime.com
     
    falguni1, Aug 4, 2009 IP
  7. Robertnelsoninc

    Robertnelsoninc Peon

    Messages:
    37
    Likes Received:
    1
    Best Answers:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    0
    #7

    I 2nd this plan, i have used it successfully many many times. Try it, it works fantastic.
     
    Robertnelsoninc, Aug 4, 2009 IP
  8. MayaLocke

    MayaLocke Peon

    Messages:
    1,016
    Likes Received:
    14
    Best Answers:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    0
    #8
    MayaLocke, Aug 6, 2009 IP